Valve for direct-acting steam-pumps.



PATENTED OCT. 8, 1907.

' w. WEIR. VALVE ronnmscw ACTING STEAM PUMPS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7,1907.

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VALVE FOR DIRECT ACTING STEAM PUMPS.

- APPLICATION rmm JUNE 1,1001.

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PATENTED OCT. 8, 1907.

-'W. WEIR, VALVE FOR DIRECT APPLIOATION ACTING STEAM PUMPS.- r 1. 1mm:

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PATENTED OCT. :8, 1907.

- W. WEIR.

VALVE FOR DIRECT ACTING STEAM PUMPS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 7.1907. 4

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PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM WEIR, OF GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

VALVE FOR DIRECT-ACTING STEAM-PUMPS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM WEIR, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Glasgow, Scotland, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Valves for Direct-Acting Steam-Pumps and LikeMachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain,improvements in valves such as areusually employed for governing the inlet and exhaust ports of directacting steam pumps and like machines. It has heretofore been proposed toemploy for such purpose a series of valves mounted on the same spindleand each formed with a flange for bearing on a suitable seating whenclosed, as for example in Loves specification 10586 of 1901, in which itis also proposed to hold the valve spindle and valves in the desiredposition at the end of their travel by the steam pressure acting inopposite directions on surfaces of unequal area until the valve ismechanically moved in the same direction, and the present inventionrelates to improvements in valves of this general class with the objectof rendering their working more positive, certain and efificienti Whenone end of a valve such as described is just beginning to open toexhaust and the other end to steam its action is extremely sluggish,this being due to the slightness of opening caused by the inability ofthe valves tobe acted on by the steam and carried to the full extent oftheir travel and opening until the pressure in the end of thecylinderopen to exhaust has been reduced by its escape through the-slightexhaust opening. It will thus be evident that the reversal of the valvesto their most complete extent depends on the rate of reduction ofpressure in the end of the cylinder open to exhaust, and as the capacityof the cylinder and its port is very considerable the action of thevalve takes an appreciable time as the whole contents of the cylinderand port must be exhausted sufficiently to allow the steam pressureactingon the different areas of the valves to throw them to the fullextent of their travel and opening.

According to the present invention provision is made whereby thisdifference of pressure on the valves is obtained independently orpractically so of the rate of exhaustion of the whole contents of thecylinder and the valves are caused to move more quickly-and give a morecertain action to the pump or other apparatus and in addition reduce thetime during which the valves are off their seating faces. To this endthere is arranged between the steam and exhaust valves of each pair ofvalves a hollow or web-carried piston which moves with the valves andworks in a chamber wherein is situated the port or cavity that admitssteam and releases the exhaustfrom one end of the cylinder. Thesepistons work over the respective ports and are so set that the ports areclosed when the valve is in its mid Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 7, 1907. Serial N0- 377,796.

Patented Oct. 8, 1907.

position. By this means these pistons provide an intermediate control ofthe passage of steam between the main steam valve and the cylinder portand the main exhaust valve. By their provision they therefore constitutea small chamber isolated from the main cylinder and located between eachpair of steam and exhaust valves.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into effect it will now be described more fully with referenceto the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal section, taken approximately on the line 11of Fig. 3, of a steam chest and valve embodying the features of theinvention, the valve being represented in one of its extreme positions;Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of same in a plane at rightangles to Fig. 1, that is to say on the line 22 of Fig. 3, with thevalve however in a different position. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectiontaken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a transversesection taken approximately on the line 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is asection illustrating a modified form of arrangement of the various partsof the valve.

Referring to the example shown in Figs. 1 to 4, a is the steam chestinclosing a cylinder 1) in which slides the valve hereinafter described;0 is an annular recess therein, communicating with the interior of thecylinder b in the manner hereinafter described and with the livesteaminlet d. On both sides of the steam inlet recess 0 are similarrecesses e and f which communicateswith opposite ends of the main enginecylinder by means of steam passages g and h respectively and open intothe cylinder b through ports i and j. k is are exhaust ports or outlets,which in the example illustrated are provided on each side of the steamchest and communicate with the ends of the cylinder 1) by means ofpassages l, l and exhaust boxes m, m.

The valve combination comprises two steam valves n and 10 having seatingfaces or shoulders o and q respectively, and two exhaust valves 1 and tlikewise having seating faces or shoulders s and u. These valves withtheir faces or shoulders may be formed either in a single piece orseparately, and they are secured to the spindle 1) which is actuated byany suitable mechanical means (not shown) from the main engine rod.

to and x are hollow valve pistons for forming the small chambers 10 andm above referred to, which chambers respectively have to be exhaustedbefore the valve is thrown over by the steam pressure acting from one orthe other end of it. The pistons w and x are carried by the webs y, yupon the spindle, the piston 10 being situated between the valves 11.and '1', and the piston 90 between the valves 10 and t, so that in themid position of the valve the said pistons will cover and close theports t and j.

Fig. 1 shows the steam valves and exhaust valves in section and at theend of their travel, the valve faces q and 8 being seated, while thevalve faces 0 and n. are open. In this position of the valve the mainengine cylinder receives steam to one end from the annular steam recess0 through the valve n, chamber '10, port 11, recess 6 and passage g,while the other end of the cylinder is exhausting through the passage h,recess f, port 9', chamber 03, valve L, passage l and outlet is; thelead from the ports 1' and j to the respective outlets g and 71. beingshown at z, z in Fig. 4. Fig. 2 shows the valve just past its midposition.

In the operation of the valve the pistons 10, a: work in the chambersto, at, and over the ports't' and j, and are so set that when the valve(that is to say, the combination of valves) is just over the midposition as shown in Fig. 2, such pistons will close both the ports 1'and j and will thereby shut off the small chambers w and m from thepassages g, h and from the main engine cylinder. The motion of thespindle, imparted thereto by the main engine piston through theintervention of the valve gear, begins just as the main engine pistonnears the end of its stroke, and, as is well known, the valve will bemoved by the momentum or inertia slightly past the mid position, wherethe steam valve n is just entering, that is, closing the inlet end ofthe chamber to and the steam valve p is just leaving or opening thecorresponding end of the chamber m. At the same time the exhaust valve 1will be leaving (that is, opening) the upper exhaust end of the chamberw, and the other exhaust valve entering, or closing, the exhaust end ofthe chamber :0. In this position of the valve combination any differenceof pressure between the steam inlet chamber (1 and the small chamber towill steam throw the combination until the steam valve face 0 seatsitself. The slightness of the opening of the valve 7 would cause anappreciable period of time to elapse prior to the steam throwing of thevalve if such opening were in communication with, and therefore wererequired to reduce the pressure in the passage g and the main enginecylinder. It is to obviate this loss of time that the pistons 11) and :0have been provided, it being obvious that at this critical moment thepiston w will have closed the chamber 10 against the main enginecylinder, and that therefore the pressure rapidly will fall in saidchamber so that the valve can be steamthrown. The pistons 11) and .t arepreferably given slight amount of lap over the ports 1' and j when inthe mid position to secure a more perfect isolation of the chamber to.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 5, the valves in place of being inline, are arranged in pairs and are coupled together bya beam or rockinglever l. which is actuated by a swinging lever 2 and crank 3 or otherappropriate mechanism. In other respects, however, the operation of thedevice is similar to that shown in the previous example, andlike lettersof reference indicate like parts in both cases, the essential featurebeing that the arrangement comprises the provision of the intermediatepiston to momentarily isolate the chambers w and x from the main enginecylinder.

When the four valves are in line it will be understood that the steamvalves and the exhaust valves are of different areas to secure adifferential area on which steam may act to throw the valves, but if thevalves are in pairs side by side, the valves if desired may be of equalarea.

If preferred, instead of the valves being of tbe combincd piston andshoulder or llnngo type. they may simply be of the piston type, theshoulder being formed in the casing, in which event the seat ing facewould be the end of the chamber in which the piston works and suchconstruction is suitable for various nrrange111e1its of valves.

What I claim is:

1. In :1 vnlve for direct acting steum engines and lllit machines :1steam valve member; :111 exhaust vnlve incur her; a cylinder inclosingsame and having supply :lllll exhaust ports and an intermediate port;and :1 vnlvc mom ber adapted to close said intermediate port.

2. A steam chest, :l steam vulve therein. an exhaust valve movablesynchronously therewith. :1 main engine cylinder, means for connectingsame with the steam chest and means whereby in :1 predetermined position01' the said valves said connecting means is closed.

3. A steam chest or valve box, on admission valve; an exhaust valve: and:1 plurality of valves for the outlet of live steam; said last namedvalves being arranged to be temporarily closed when the other valves arein ccr tnin predetermined positions.

4. A steam chest or valve box; on admission valve; :1 plurality ofexhaust vulves; a plurality of valves tor the. outlet of live steam: andmenus for actuating suid sev eral valves; the last-named valves beingarranged to be closed when the other valves are in ccrtnin prcdeterminedpositions.

5. A steam chest: or vnlvc box; :1. plurality of admission valves; anexhaust valve; :1 plurality of valves for the outlet of live steam; andmenus for actuating snid several valves; the lust: named valves being'runged to be closed when the other valves are in certain predeterminedpositions.

G. The combination with :in engine cylinder of :l stenm chest or vulvebox having an admission port and an ex h:1ust port and being incommunication with the main engine cylinder; a steam valve, :lll exhaustvalve 11nd an intermediate valve, said intermediate v:1lve beingarranged to close the communication between the steam chest or vnlve boxand the main engine cylinder when the other valves are in apredetermined position.

7. The combination with an engine cylinder olf :1 vnlve device thereforcomprising a steam chest or v:1lve box having communication between itsends and the respcctive ends of the engine cylinder; :1 vulvecontrolling the supply nnd exhaust of said steam chest or v:1lve box,and means working synchronously with said valve for closing theaforesaid communication with the engine cylinder in :1 predeterminedposition of the valve.

8. The combination with an engine cylinder of :1 double acting inletvalve, a stenm chest or vulvc box for some having on opposite sides ofthe inlet valve menus for coin necting with opposite ends of the enginecylinder accord ing :is said valve is moved towards one end or the othero1 its throw; means for exhausting the steam chest or vnlvu box; andmeans intermediate an admission position and an exhaust position of thevalve whereby the connection with the engine cylinder is closed:

9. The combination with an engine cylinder of an inlet valve; a steamchest or valve box for sume having on on posite sides of the inlet valvemenus for connecting with opposite ends of the engine cylinder; menusfor -tu:1ting said valve; means for exhausting the steam chest or valvebox at each end of the throw; and menus whereby in :111 intermediateposition oithe valve the communication with the engine cylinder isclosed.

10. The combination with an engine cylinder of :1 steam chest or valvebox; a valve therein adapted to divide same into a plurality of chambersseparated from each other, each 01. said chambers having menus forconnecting it with a respective end of the engine cylinder; meanswhereby when the valve is past. its mid position the respective chambercan exhaust; and means whereby the chamber that is to exhaust is shut 0%from the engine cylinder.

11. The combination with a steam chest or valve box having a portadmitting pressure fluid thereto, ports for exhausting same from eitherend thereof and ports intermediate the admission and each exhaust forthe outlet of the live fluid; of a valve comprising an admissioncontrolling member, exhaust controlling members and intermediate outletcontrolling members.

12. The combination with a steam chest or valve box an inlet port, aplurality of exhaust ports and a plurality of live fluid outlet ports;of a valve comprising a plurality of inlet controlling parts, aplurality of exhaust controlling parts and a live fluid outletcontrolling part.

137 The combination With a steam chest or valve box of an inlet port, anexhaust port and a live fluid outlet port; of a valve comprising a stem,an inlet controlling part thereon; an exhaust controlling part on saidstem and a piston carried by said stem and adapted to control said livefluid outlet port.

14. The combination with a steam chest or valve box having an inletport, an exhaust port and a live fluid out let port, 01 a valvecomprising a stem, :1 web carried seem r '3 thereby, a hollow pistoncarried by said web and adapted in a predetermined position of the valveto close said live fluid outlet port and means carried by said stem forrespectively closing the inlet port and the exhaust port in otherpredetermined positions of the valve.

15. The combination with a steam chest or valve box having" an inlet aplurality of end chambers communicating therewith and a lateral portleading from each of the end chambers; of a valve combination comprisingmeans for temporarily opening one of the end chambers to the inlet andsimultaneously cutting oft the other end chamber therefrom, means forexhausting said cut off chamber, means for temporarily closing thelateral port of said exhausting chamber, and means for actuating thesaid parts of the valve combination in unison so as to alternatelycontrol the end chambers.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses this 27th day of May 1907.

WILLIAM WEIR.

Witnesses:

Gno. M. DALZIEL, .I. D. IMnIE.

